71AFTER THIS, Jesus went from place to place in Galilee, for He would not travel in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him.2Now the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was drawing near.3So His brothers said to Him, Leave here and go into Judea, so that [E]Capitalized because of what He is, the spotless Son of God, not what the speaker may have thought He was.Your disciples [there] may also see the works that You do. [This is no place for You.]4For no one does anything in secret when he wishes to be conspicuous and secure publicity. If You [must] do these things [if You must act like this], show Yourself openly and make Yourself known to the world!5For [even] His brothers did not believe in or adhere to or trust in or rely on Him either.6Whereupon Jesus said to them, My time (opportunity) has not come yet; but any time is suitable for you and your opportunity is ready any time [is always here].7The world cannot [be expected to] hate you, but it does hate Me because I denounce it for its wicked works and reveal that its doings are evil.8Go to the Feast yourselves. I am not [yet] going up to the Festival, because My time is not ripe. [My term is not yet completed; it is not time for Me to go.]9Having said these things to them, He stayed behind in Galilee.10But afterward, when His brothers had gone up to the Feast, He went up also, not publicly [not with a caravan], but by Himself quietly and as if He did not wish to be observed.11Therefore the Jews kept looking for Him at the Feast and asking, Where can He be? [Where is that Fellow?]12And there was among the mass of the people much whispered discussion and hot disputing about Him. Some were saying, He is good! [He is a good Man!] Others said, No, He misleads and deceives the people [gives them false ideas]!13But no one dared speak out boldly about Him for fear of [the leaders of] the Jews.14When the Feast was already half over, Jesus went up into the temple [[F]Richard Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament.court] and began to teach.15The Jews were astonished. They said, How is it that this Man has learning [is so versed in the sacred Scriptures and in theology] when He has never studied?16Jesus answered them by saying, My teaching is not My own, but His Who sent Me.17If any man desires to do His will (God’s pleasure), he will know (have the needed illumination to recognize, and can tell for himself) whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking from Myself and of My own accord and on My own authority.18He who speaks on his own authority seeks to win honor for himself. [He whose teaching originates with himself seeks his own glory.] But He Who seeks the glory and is eager for the honor of Him Who sent Him, He is true; and there is no unrighteousness or falsehood or deception in Him.19Did not Moses give you the Law? And yet not one of you keeps the Law. [If that is the truth] why do you seek to kill Me [for not keeping it]?20The crowd answered Him, You are possessed by a demon! [You are raving!] Who seeks to kill You?21Jesus answered them, I did one work, and you all are astounded.22Now Moses established circumcision among you--though it did not originate with Moses but with the previous patriarchs--and you circumcise a person [even] on the Sabbath day.23If, to avoid breaking the Law of Moses, a person undergoes circumcision on the Sabbath day, have you any cause to be angry with (indignant with, bitter against) Me for making a man’s whole body well on the Sabbath?24Be honest in your judgment and do not decide at a glance (superficially and by appearances); but judge fairly and righteously.25Then some of the Jerusalem people said, Is not this the Man they seek to kill?26And here He is speaking openly, and they say nothing to Him! Can it be possible that the rulers have discovered and know that this is truly the Christ?27No, we know where this Man comes from; when the Christ arrives, no one is to know from what place He comes.28Whereupon Jesus called out as He taught in the temple [[G]Richard Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament.porches], Do you know Me, and do you know where I am from? I have not come on My own authority and of My own accord and as self-appointed, but the One Who sent Me is true (real, genuine, steadfast); and Him you do not know!29I know Him [Myself] because I come from His [very] presence, and it was He [personally] Who sent Me.30Therefore they were eager to arrest Him, but no one laid a hand on Him, for His hour (time) had not yet come.31And besides, many of the multitude believed in Him [adhered to Him, trusted in Him, relied on Him]. And they kept saying, When the Christ comes, will He do [can He be expected to do] more miracles and produce more proofs and signs than what this Man has done?32The Pharisees learned how the people were saying these things about Him under their breath; and the chief priests and Pharisees sent attendants (guards) to arrest Him.33Therefore Jesus said, For a little while I am [still] with you, and then I go back to Him Who sent Me.34You will look for Me, but you will not [be able to] find Me; where I am, you cannot come.35Then the Jews said among themselves, Where does this Man intend to go that we shall not find Him? Will He go to the Jews who are scattered in the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?36What does this statement of His mean, You will look for Me and not be able to find Me, and, Where I am, you cannot come?37Now on the final and most important day of the Feast, Jesus stood, and He cried in a loud voice, If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink!38He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water.39But He was speaking here of the Spirit, Whom those who believed (trusted, had faith) in Him were afterward to receive. For the [Holy] Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified (raised to honor).40Listening to those words, some of the multitude said, This is certainly and beyond doubt the Prophet! 41Others said, This is the Christ (the Messiah, Anointed One)! But some said, What? Does the Christ come out of Galilee?42Does not the Scripture tell us that the Christ will come from the offspring of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived? 43So there arose a division and dissension among the people concerning Him.44Some of them wanted to arrest Him, but no one [ventured and] laid hands on Him.45Meanwhile the attendants (guards) had gone back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, Why have you not brought Him here with you?46The attendants replied, Never has a man talked as this Man talks! [No mere man has ever spoken as He speaks!]47The Pharisees said to them, Are you also deluded and led astray? [Are you also swept off your feet?]48Has any of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in Him?49As for this multitude (rabble) that does not know the Law, they are contemptible and doomed and accursed!50Then Nicodemus, who came to Jesus before at night and was one of them, asked,51Does our Law convict a man without giving him a hearing and finding out what he has done?52They answered him, Are you too from Galilee? Search [the Scriptures yourself], and you will see that no prophet comes (will rise to prominence) from Galilee.53[H]John 7:53 to 8:11 is absent from most of the older manuscripts, and those that have it sometimes place it elsewhere. The story may well be authentic. Indeed, Christ’s response of compassion and mercy is so much in keeping with His character that we accept it as authentic, and feel that to omit it would be most unfortunate.And they went [back], each to his own house.